This trip is cancelled due to COVID 19. But hey, read on, because it’s an awesome trip and it WILL happen, likely in the fall of 2021 with slightly different dates and rates.
SJ Worldschooling trips include valuable educational components that can span months of learning – pre-trip workshops, creative group projects, customized trip books, resources, and individual support that each family can utilize flexibly.
Guanajuato:Spanish Study and Festivals
Oct 24 – Nov 3 (10 days)
GUANAJUATO HIGHLIGHTS: This tour is focused on a partnership with La Escuela Falcon, a small Spanish-learning school. We take classes in the mornings followed by tours and performances in the afternoons. The International Cervantino Arts Festival, a day trip to nearby San Miguel de Allende, homestays, and Day of the Dead make this a culture-packed week. This colorful university town with sweeping views, intimate museums, and lively squares is a fabulous place to start a family group trip in Mexico.
La Escuela Falcon
The classes we will arrange for our group include cooking, conversation, legends, music, and art. 1 class for adults and 3 classes for children (ages 5 and up) Monday-Friday are included in the tour. Private lessons are available to add-on. Homestays can be arranged for those who want a more personal Spanish-practice experience.
Guanajuato Itinerary
Itinerary is subject to change.
SJ Circles (throughout the week) Games and learning activities for kids while parents enjoy some adult travel time. SJ Circles last 2 hours and take place in plazas, guesthouses, libraries, and playgrounds.
Oct. 24, Arrive in Guanajuato and settle in.Bienvenidos a Guanajuato
Oct 25, (and throughout the week), Cervantino Arts FestivalWe will see several ticketed performances during the tour. Artists from all over the world gather in Guanajuato to present music, dance, theater, and fine arts. *Opening group dinner.
Oct 26, Spanish Classes followed by Funicular and Pipila.
We’ll take a funicular ride up to a spectacular viewpoint at the foot of the famous Pipila statue and hike back down together.
Oct 27, Spanish Classes followed by tour of Palacio de Los Poderes
History meets art in the site where the Mexican congress met. See the legislative chambers and art galleries and admire the exquisite architecture of this museum.
Oct 28, Spanish Classes followed by The Museum of Mummies A tribute to Mexican culture’s celebration of death, this museum holds one hundred mummified remains. We will lead the group to the museum by public bus for a great local experience. A less spooky tour option will be available simultaneously.
Oct 29, Spanish Classes followed by Diego Rivera Museum Guided tour of the house where Rivera was born and the permanent collection of his work from young adulthood to throughout his life.
Oct 30, Spanish Classes followed by Graduation and Mining/Nature Tour
Escuela Falcon honors all its students at an end-of-week ceremony. Afternoon plans TBD and may include a festival performance, guided nature hike, or tour of an old mine.
Oct 31, Halloween
Children in Guanajuato go trick-or-treating (“¡truco o trato!”) too. Pack an easy costume or pick one up at the Halloween Market and we’ll celebrate together.
Nov 1, San Miguel de Allende
A full-day guided trip to nearby San Miguel offers the opportunity to glimpse how another beautiful town expresses Dia de Los Muertos.
Nov 2, Day of the Dead – Family Day
Guanajuato is a wonderful place to participate in local Day of the Dead festivities. During the week, we’ll observe the extensive preparations unfold, culminating in an explosion of celebration and art in the streets and the underground tunnels below.
Nov 3, Moving On
Travel by bus with us to Mexico City for Part 2 of our Worldschooling Adventure or head home.
Guanajuato Additions
Exploring on your own in Guanajuato will be easy, affordable, and fun. We leave space in the itinerary for your choices, such as…
Don Quijote Museum This entire museum relates to the story of Don Quijote de la Mancha from the classic Cervantes novel.
Museu del Pueblo de Guanajuato An impressive collection of Mexican miniatures and local art.
Teatro Juarez Tour the interior of this magnificent theater built in the 1870s.
Plazas, Churches and Markets Meet up informally throughout the week to play, shop, eat, and soak in the atmosphere.
Guanajuato Lodging and Meals
Lodging with breakfast for 10 nights is included in the Guanajuato Tour.
Choose to stay with a local family in a homestay or in the guesthouse that we book. We recommend 5 homestay nights and 5 guesthouse nights to experience both. *Homestay availability is first-come first-serve.
With the exception of the included opening group dinner, families plan their own lunches and dinners to provide flexibility and family time.
Mexico City: Arts, History and Local Flair
Nov 3 – 10 (8 days)
MEXICO CITY HIGHLIGHTS: This urban cultural mecca packs an experiential punch! The energy, the history, the architecture, the art, the playgrounds, the markets and libraries, the museums, the foooood. Frida Kahlo’s Casa Azul, Diego Rivera’s murals, Ballet Folklorico, Lucha Libre, Teotihuacan pyramids, and the Zocalo historic center. Yes, we’re big fans of Ciudad de Mexico.
Mexico City Itinerary
Itinerary is subject to change.
SJ Circles (throughout the week)
Games and learning activities for kids while parents enjoy some adult travel time. SJ Circles last 2 hours and take place in plazas, guesthouses, libraries, and playgrounds.
Playgrounds and Parks (throughout the week)
We’ll meet up informally to play and chat in Mexico City’s fabulous playgrounds.
Nov 3, Arrive in Mexico City and settle in.
Bienvenidos a CDMX
Nov 4, Zocalo, National Palace, Diego Rivera Murals
A guided walking tour of the historic city center with a local historian focusing on modern history, art, architecture, and geology.
Nov 5, Art, Frida Kahlo’s Casa Azul
The home of this iconic figure pulls the visitor into Kahlo’s magnificent work and life. Explore the surrounding Coyacan neighborhood and Plaza Hidalgo.
Nov 6, Biblioteca de Mexico, Artisan Market, Street Art Tour
Mexico City libraries are widely used, beautiful, spaces for study and art. Do your gift shopping at a large artisan market while we explore the library with the kids, followed by a local-guided street art tour for all.
Nov 7, Family Day
This is your day to enjoy the many family-friendly opportunities in Mexico City on Saturdays. Play in the parks, visit the botanical gardens or a museum, stroll down Alameda Blvd to see the alebrijes sculptures for Day of the Dead…lots to choose from.
Nov 8, Ballet Folklorico, Palacio de Bellas Artes, Lucha Libre
Enjoy a traditional performance of Mexican live music and dance in the city’s most prominent theater, followed by a study of Rivera’s “Man, Controller of the Universe” also housed in the art deco Palacio. Meet later for a different dose of local performance culture for a Lucha Libre wrestling match.
Nov 9, Teotihuacan Archeological Site
This mysterious, ancient city built in pre-Aztec times has the third largest pyramid in the world! Let’s climb it together. Full-day guided tour with local historian. *Closing group dinner.
Mexico City Lodging and Meals
Lodging with breakfast for 7 nights is included in the Mexico City Tour. We will book guesthouses or Airbnb’s for our group in the Roma Norte/Condessa area, close to parks and restaurants, and accessible to many of the sites. As needed, families will share a multi-bedroom/bathroom apartment.
With the exception of the included closing group dinner, families plan their own lunches and dinners to provide flexibility and family time.
There’s a HUGE variety of fabulous eating options in Mexico City, from 50 cent street tacos to high-end restaurants and everything in between! YUM.
Costs and Inclusions
Guanajuato Tour
10 days
Adult $1500
Ages 6-17 $1300
Ages 0-5 $400
Mexico City Tour
8 days
Adult $1400
Ages 6-17 $1200
Ages 0-5 $400
Both Tours
18 days
Adult $2000
Ages 6-17 $1800
Ages 0-5 $600
Included G = Guanajuato
M = Mexico City
Pre-trip Workshops – G/M
Group Projects – G/M
Support/Resources – G/M
Airport Pick up – G/M
Accommodations – G/M
Breakfast – G/M
SJ Circles & Child Support – G/M
Private van for day tours – G/M
Itinerary Sites – G/M
Performance Tickets – G/M
Tour Guides – G/M
Opening Dinner – G
Guanajuato to Mexico City Bus – G
Spanish Classes 5 days – G
Closing Dinner – M
Not Included Flights
Lunches
Most Dinners
Taxis
Non-Itinerary Sites
At $111/day per adult for an 18-day family journey with accommodations and all itinerary activities included, the best deal is to come to both Guanajuato AND Mexico City.
Important Dates
June 1: $200 Early-Bird Discount Deadline
August 1: Registration Closes
September-October: 3 Pre-Trip Workshops (in-person or Zoom)
October 24 – November 3: 10-Day Guanajuato Tour
November 3 – November 10: 8-Day Mexico City Tour
Wondering if this trip is right for your family? Interested in a personal online info session? Let Us Know.
Want a balance of structured and unstructured travel time? So do we.
Considering taking a child out of school to travel? It’s worth it.
Considering solo-parent travel? We’re all about group support.
Think the kids will have more fun traveling with friends? You bet!
Is ethical, respectful travel important to you? Of course, it is. Us, too.
Staging Journeys trips are created by Melissa Church and Linnea deRoche. They each have 3 kids who are home-worldschooled, Master’s degrees in Education, and over 20 years of experience in teaching and traveling.
SJ does not hire 3rd party tour companies to do the planning. Every decision is made by Melissa and Linnea towards providing a meaningful, educational travel experience. The effort to personalize and support each family’s worldschooling journey goes beyond the service most travel companies can provide.
Melissa or Linnea accompany all trips. Additional tour leaders and local guides are carefully vetted based on direct, personal experience.
We would love for you to join the Staging Journeys family travel community!
